Switch-controller system.



Fl.' N. REEVES 6L A. E. LUNDELL.

SWITCH CONTROLLER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DLC. I2l 191'4. Ll?. Patented B90281915.Y

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HN. REEVES L A. E. LUNDELL.

swaT'cH coNTnoLLER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION man ofc.' x2, 1914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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anar oracion.

FRANK ulil'. REEVES, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ANI) ALBEN E. LUNDELL, OF NEW 4YORK, N. Y., vASSIG'NOIRS TO WESTERN A CORPOEATIQN F ILLINOIS.

ELEcTRroxcoMrAnr, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,

' swIToH-coNTRonLER SYSTEM.

To all whom'tt may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANKN, Rnnvnsv and ALBEN EQHLUNDELL, citizens of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex 4and State of New Jersey, and atNew York, in the county of Bronx and State of NewYork, respectively,`have l invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Controller Systems, of

which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and exact description. j f

Thls inventionfrelates to a system of con-y Y trollers forautomatic switches in telephone a point. finder orother register mechanism yoperator may write down the number of the line wanted by-a calling subscuber, and

associated with this primary controller a. plurality ofv secondary controllers allotted one at aft-imc to the primary controller; Each such secondary controller may include adapted to be adjusted automatically; by

means of the primary controller to register the number indication written downby the operator, thus leaving the primary controller available for the adjustment ofthe register mechanism of another secondary controller during the period of use of the former in controlling the operation of automatic switching apparatus. Locking means isusually provided for such a primary contrller to retain its elements in their adjusted positions until the register elements of the associated secondary controller are correspondingly'A adjusted, whereupon thev locking means is released or retracted to permit the restoration of the primary controllcr. The operator `is thus notified of the completed registration of the number of the wanted line on the secondary controllers, andthe availability of the primary con- Specicatonrof Letters Patent. Patnted De@ '28, 1915 Application aieanecember 12, 1914. seriainonsrsat.

troller trollen It occasionally occurs in such a systemv that all of the secondary controllers at' an operators position are in use at the same y the operatorl from adjusting the primary controller luntil there is a secondary controller available and an eif'ect'ive indication of the busy condition of all of them. The particular means for this purpose whichv is preferred and which is described' in the following` specification, is a vkeyboard lock-releasing o-r lock-retracting means which is maintained effective after the register elements of the last available secondary controller have been adjusted and until one, at

least, of' the secondarycontrollersbecomes idle. During any such period, the 'operator on attempting to adjust the primary con- .troller for another call, perceives at once by the immediate retraction, instead of the normal locking of its elements, that no secondary controller is available anC-sbe" must necessarily wait until the lockigmeans again becomesjel'ective.

The invention will be understood more in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein is disclosed so much of a telephone exchange system as is necessary to a full explanation of the invention.

Figure'l is a chart indicating the relation of the principal controlling units as applied in the systeni; Figs. 2 and 3 show in skeleton outline a telephone circuit extending between a calling subscribers station 1 and a called subscribers station 2, together with detail `circuits for the controllers. scribers circuit is adapted to be built up by the insertion of a plug 3 of one of the operators connecting circuits into a spring-jack -L of the calling line. and by the adjustment j (2f-automatic switches indicated by the con-` tacts 5, G and 7, S. The construction of these switches and the particular circuit arrangefor use with another secondary con-,-

The sub-- at 12 and 13. A keyboard is indicated at 14 and an allotter at 15, the latter being adapt- V ed, in a manner presently to be stated, to bring the secondary controllers one at a time into operative relation'to the primary controller or keyboard 14. The allotter shown herein is in construction like an ordinary.

sequence switch. It has six possible resting positions, 1, 2, 6, 7, 12 and 13. In positions 1, 6 and 12 it allots the three secondary controllers respectively. The intermediate positions 2, 7 and 13 are provided as extraordinary resting positions for the purposes of this invention. Only one number key 16 is shown. This may be assumed to be key No. 8 of the series of ten f units keys 0 to 9 required in the keyboard. It will also be understood that there would be ordinarily in an automatic system a like series of ten tens keys, a series of ten hundreds keys, etc. There is also illustrated in the keyboard section of Fig. 3 a start key 17. All such keys of the keyboard are provided with locking means such as the `detcnt or latch 18 by which, when the keys are depressed, they will be retained in depressed positions. Releasing magnets-19 are pro- I vided for retracting the. locking means so that the keys may be restored at the proper time for a subsequent operation.

In Fig. 1 is shown the general arrangement controlling apparatus for a plurality of connection circuits a, b, c and d. The single keyboard 14 and single allotter 15 are adapted to be associated one, at a time lin cyclic order with the secondary controller sets A, B, C, each such set comprising the cord 'inder 11, the register 10 and the sender 9.

The general scheme vof operation may be brieiiy outlined as follows: When the operator a swers the call by inserting the plug 3 into t e spring-jack 4, the cord finder, say 11, of an idle pre-allotted secondary controller equipment brin s the sender 9 and register 10 into association with the connecting circuit of'that plug. The operator, after receiving instructions from the calling subscriber as to the line wanted, writes down on the keyboard 14 the number of that line, and then depresses the start key 17. The depressed number keys, including, say, key 16 and start key 17, remain depressed until the registers, including the units register 10,

' have advanced to positions corresponding to the depressed number keys, and then all thel depressed keys are automatically released. Provided now that another secondary controller equipment,'say 12 or 13, is idle, the allotter 15 will ladvance to a position to allot, that is to say, to place into conditiony for operatiqn such other secondary controller' equip/fixent underhcon'trol by the same keyboard forthe purposesof another call. In such event the key locking means is restored to norml condition. If, however, neither of the othe secondary controller equipments is idle at the time, the allotterwill 'remain in an intermediate position where it will await the return of some one of the secondary equi ments to idle condition. In this intermediate position the retracting magnets 19 for the locking means 18 of the keys are held energized so that the operator on mak- -ing an attempt to write down the number of a subsequent call, will be notified by the im. mediate return ofthe keys thatvno secondary equipment is ready for operation. As soon,- however, as any secondary controller becomes idle, the allotter .will advance from its intermediate position to' the next allotting position andplace such secondary controller into operative condition and restore the keyboard locking means. The operator may then proceed to adjust the keys Awhich will remain depressed as under normal condition of operation.

Inthe followingwhich is a moredetailed description of operation of the system, the circuits will ordinarily be traced trom? ground to battery (or battery to ground) using the abbreviations Gd and Byas reference 'characters .for ground and battery, respectively, and it is to be understood` that these characters refer to the usual conventional symbols for ground and battery indicated -in the drawings. When the operator answers a call by inserting the vplug 3 of any of'her connecting circuits in the springjack 4 of-a calling line, a cord relay 21 is energized -in a circuit, Gd, 21,22, 23, 24, By, and closes a circuit Gd, 25, 26, 27, By, which includes a contact 26andtlie motor magnet of the sequence switch 27. This sequence switch, which is associated with the apparatus of the operators connecting circuit now taken for use, thereupon advances from its normal position 1 to position 2. The operators listening-in switch having also been operated (automatically or otherwise), contacts 28, 29,31 and 32 are lclosed, 28 and 2,9 bridging the operators telephone set on the connecting circuit, and 31 and 32, together with contact 33 of the sequence switch 27, providing ground connections to conductors 34 and 35- leading'y to the controller equipment (Fig. 3). Conductor 35 has branch connections, one to each of the secondary controllers. In the event, now assumed, that lsu Lacuna? m the sender 9 and theeduipment associated therewith, including the cord finder 1 1 and register 10, are allotted for service, the cord# finder sequence switch 30 is resting in its nor- 5 mal position 1 so that there is closed at this time a circuit Gd, 33, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38, By. This circuit includes a test relay 38 which acts to close a lockingcircuit for itself by way of its contact 39 and an interrupter device of the cord finder, comprising thel bar 41 and brush 42, and also closes a circuit Gd, 43, 44, 30, By,l which' sends the sequence lswitch 30 out of its normal position 1 into the cord finder hunting position 2. In its movement there is provided, as soon asposition 1% is reached, 'a further path for the test relay'38 by way of sequence switch contacts 37 and 4,5, and back contact 46 of a holding relay 47. There is also closed by the test relay 38, when the sequence lswitch reaches position 2, a circuit Gd, 43, 48, 49, By, which includes the lifting clutch magnet 49 for the cord finder. The moving member of' this cordinder comprises seven brushes, five of.whi'ch, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55v are eachadapted'to sweep over a series of contacts. Each horizontal row ofthe contact bank,1 as shown in the diagram, constitutes the terminals associated with one of the cord or connecting circuits of that operators position. Contacts 56, 57, 58, 59 and'60 are thus associated with theA connecting circuit, shown in. Fig. 2 of the drawing. The moving member ofthe cordnder also includes the brush 42 which sweeps .over the surface of the interrupter bar 41 and abrush 6l,v

which, when theI cord finder'is in normal position, makes contact with,l a terminal 62. As the cord linder'moves upwardly under 40 the influence of the power magnet 49, thetest relay locking circuit By, 38, 39, 41, 42, Gd, is intermittently broken, an interruptin occurringat the moment the brushes are closely approaching mid-position on `the iiXed contacts. At this moment the brush 42 is moving on to an insulating section 63 of the interrupter bar 41. When the cord finder brushes reach the'terminals ot the connecting circuitw taken for use, the

y f holding relay 47 will be energized by reason of the ground connection to terminal 57, the circuit being as follows: By, 47, 64, 52, 57, 34, 31, 33, Gd. `When energized it closes a locking circuit for itself as follows: By, 47 e5, ce, 51, 56, e7, Gd, and a second locking circuit fdr itself as follows zY By, 47, 68,: 69, Gd. 'It also opens at .contact 1 ,46 the circuit through sequence switch contacts 37 and 45- to the-testing relay 38; This latter relay,'however, is not released until its lock-ing circuit through the interrupter bar 41 and brush 42 is broken by the movement of thebrush 42 on to the insulating section 63,' thus insuring that the brushes 8b have advanced to acentral position on the fixed-terminals. The reaction of the test relay 38 which now occurs, opens the *circult for the power magnet 49, stopping the cord finder movement and closes a circuit Gd, 7l, 72, 30, By, which causes the sequence switch 30 to move out of its hunting position 2 into aposition 6, where it awaits the operation of the register. On entering position 3 there is closed iat contact 40 a circuit Gd, 40, 54, 59, 50, `80,- By, which by the ener- L giza-tion of a relay 80, closes a circuit Gd, 70, 27, By, .which sends the cord circuit sequence switch 27 outof position 2 to, position 11., The operator havingascertained from the callingv subscriber the number of 8o l the line wanted, now proceeds to write this number down on her number keyboard, and iinally depresses the start key 17. There is shown in the drawing 'but one number key', the. No. 8 units key 16, together with the As start key 17 .f This units key has. a `contact 7 3 connected with the No. 8 contact point 74 of each units register of the secondary con- Y troller equipments. It will be understood,

however, that other kevs, such as tens, 9c

y hundreds and thousands keys, like the units key 16, have similar contacts connected to corresponding points of tens, hundreds and thousands registers, one set foreach secondary controller equipment, and each register like the unitslregister 10. By pressin any one of or a combination of these eys, there is placed a ground connection or combination of ground connections on one or more of the contacts 0 9, ofthe registers. The operation with respect to all of the register elementsand a complete number keyboard issimilar to the operation now to be described with respect l to the single units key 16 shown in Fig. 3, 105 andthe single register element 10.

The depression of the start-key 17 efi'ects the operation of the register by closing a circuit for the register motorv magnet 75 vas follows: Gd, 76, 77, 75, 78, By. rIhe register element 10 is of the sameconstruction as a sequence switch, and the closing ofthis circuit causes it to rotate, progressively closing its contact points 0, 1, 2, etc.,the start being made' at 'any point wherein the register may 115 happen to have-been left after a previous operation. Onreachi-ng and closing the No.`

8 contact point 74, there is completed a circuit for the test relay 79 Aas follows; Gd, 73,

74,79, 81, 82,84, 85,.By. This circuit in- 120 cludes a relay 82 ofthe allotter 15, as well 87, 89, 30, By. Contact 88 and other simllar ones in series with contact 87 are provided to be closed in the same manner as `finder sequence switch 30, which now moves out of position 6 into 7, wherein a circuit is .closed for retracting the locking devices of the keyboard as follows: Gd, 19, 90, By. This restores the plungers of the depressed keys (16 and 17) so that the keyboard is now available for recording" another call. The circuit through relays 79 and 82 'is opened at the contacts, as contact 73 of the number keys and-the allotter relay 82 in reacting closesatP contact 91 a circuit Gd, 91, 92, 30, By, whlch sends the cord finder sequence switch out of position 7 and permits it to move on to position 15. On entering position 8 the cord finder sequence switch closes a circuit for allotter sequence switch magnet 93 as follows: By, 93, 94, 95, Gd. This sends the allotter out of position l into position 2.

The system of circuits is so organized that when the allotter enters position 2 (or 7 or 13) it will remain in that position u nless at the .moment or until there is another secondary controller available, that is to say, unless the cord finder sequence switch of some one of the secondary controllers is waiting in or reaches its await-ing allotment 'position 18.

Let it be assumed for the moment that none of the secondary controllers is at the moment available. The allotter in that event stops in position 2 because there is no contact such as conta-ct 103 of the cord yfinder sequence switch closed. A circuit, however, is closed for the relay 82 as follows: By, 96, 82, 97, 98, Gd, which cir-- .cuit includes. aA current-limiting resistance 97. As will appear later, this resistance peri mits, in case there is an idle secondary controller (contrary to the present assumption) the "short-circuiting of the relay 82 in the circuit just traced. Under the present assumption, however, the relay 82 is energized, and its contact 86 is again closed. The a1- lotter being in position 2 (or 7 or 13), there is now closed a new path for the lock-retracting magnets 19 of the keyboard as follows: By, 86, 99, 19, Gd. As long asthis circuit is maintained, the locking devices for the keyboard are maintained retracted, so thatthe operator, on attempting to write down a call, ascertains at once, by the immediate reaction of the key plungers, that there is no secondary7 controller available.4 The operator then waits a moment and tries s.

again to write down the call. -As soon as there is a secondary controller available the locking devices, are restored and the operator is aware of that fact by the locking down of thefvkeys when she depresses them The means for restoring the locking devices is as follows: Vhen any one of the secondary controllers becomes available, the cord finder sequence switch thereof will have reached its awaiting allotment position 18, (the progress of this sequence switch from position 15 to 18 to be described later), wherein a contact, such as contact 101 of the cord in'der sequence switch 30, connects b-attery directly in circuit with'the resistance 75 97, thus shunti'ng out the relay 82, this circuit being By, 101, 102, 97, 98, Gd. Relay 82 thereupon reacts and opens at contact 86 the circuit of the lock-retracting magnets 19. There is also closed in position 18 of any of the cord finder seouence switches at its contact'103 a circuit Gd, 103, 104, 93, By, which sends the allotter out of position 2 and on to position 6, wherein it allots for the next call the next secondary controller in order, provided that one is available.

In case the next secondary controller is not available, the allotter will move out of position 6 by the closure of a circuit, which is just like the circuit previously traced, through contactsand 94, but which in this case extends through the allotter contact 105, a conductor 106 and a contact of the secondary cont-rollerA 12, corresponding to contact 91 of the cord finder sequence switch 30. Upon entering position 7, the allotter now moves on by reason of the closure of a circuit similar to the one previously traced through contacts 103 and 101, and when the allotter reaches position 12, as in' the case .1.00 now considered, it allots for service the third secondary controller 13. In this manner the allotter is caused to move on, allotting ordinarily each secondary controller in order, but moving by any one that is busy 105 in case there is still another one available. And in case all are busy, it stops at one of the intermediate positions 2, 7 or 13, wherein it causes the lock-retracting magnets 19 of the keyboard to be energized.

The operation of the cord finder sequence switch 30 has been described upto. its adi Vance to position 15. In this'position the sender 9 operates under the control of the register (and any other register elements of the same sender) to set up the connection between stations 1 and 2. It maybe assumed that the circuit is thus completed in any desired manner and by any suitable mech' anism and sender systemfbetween these two stations, say at contacts 5, 6 and 7, 8 of auto. matic switches. The sender 9 having then performed 'its function, there will be closed, in any suitable manner, preferably automatically, a contact 107 associated with. the 125 sender which completes a'circuit Gd, 107, 53,

58, 108, 27, By,` which4 sends the cord circuit sequence switch 27 out of position 11 into talking positionv 1 6, and in this movement the connections of the sender to the talking v120 cuit Gd, 4:6, 45, 115, 116, By, which includes 1 a restoring` magnet 116 for the cordinder.

n reaching its normal positiomthe'cord lindervbrush 6l engages thenormal contact 62,thereby closing a circuit Gd, 61, 62, 117, 30, By, which sends the cord finder sequenceA switch out of position 17 into position 18, where it awaits allotment bythe allotter 15.

The allotment of `thesecondar`y controller- 20 with which cord finder 11, sender 9 and register element 10'are associated, occurs upon.

the closing through contact 118 lof a circuit which is completed when the allotter reaches position 1 as follows: Gd, 95, 118, 30, By. The cord finder sequence switch being allotted in this way, advances to its normal position 1, where the operation is repeated and proceeds in the manner already fully described whenever any of the operators .A cords is taken for use.

The co-rd circuit sequence switch 27 has a `master contact 119, which determines its resting positions,previously noted, as follows: l-normal, 2-awaiting sender, 11-

85 selection, 16--talking.' The cord finder sequence switch 30 has a master contact 121 which determines its rest positions; 1-nor mal, 2-hunting, d-awaiting register, 7-

l key release, l-waiting disconnection, from 410 cord, 17-fc`ordnder restoration, 18-wait ing allotment. Y

The register l0, which is also of the nature of a sequence switch, has a master contact 122, which determines its resting positions ""0-9 inclusive, and the allotter 15, which is Valso in'construction like a sequence switch, has a master contact 123 which determines itsresting positions; l-allotting secondary controller A; 2-f-waiting an idle controller;

-allotting controller B; 7-waiting an idle controller; 12-allotting controller C; 13 awaiting an idle controller.

l What is claimed is: f 1. In a switch controller system, the combination with an-adjustable primary controller. and a plurality of secondary controllers each adapted to be automatically adjusted by means of said primary controller, of means for rendering said primary controller unadjustable during periods of simultaneous use of said secondary conrollers.

2. In a switch controller system, the combination with an adjustable primary controller and a plurality of secondary con- -lock-retracting means, of means controlled 'trollers adjustable by means of said primary controller, of means for .allotting said sec- -ondary controllers one'at a; timeto saidy primary controller,- and means controlledinv common by said secondary controllers to 7o render said primary vcontrollerfunadjustable.

-, 3., In a switch controller system, the combination with a primary, controller and a plurality of secondary controllers adjustable v by A means of said primary controller, of mechanism adapted in aplurality opositions to successively allotsaid secondary controllers to v'sa-id primary controller, and

jmeans `forarre'sting said mechanism in an intermediate position during periods of simultaneous u se vof said secondary controllers.

`.4. In a' swltch controller system, the combinationwith an adjustable 'primary c ontroller and a plurality of secondary conf trollers adjustable by means ofV said primary control1er,'of mechanism; adapted in a' plu, rality of positions to successively allot said secondary controllers to said primarycontroller, and means adapted in an intermediate position of said mechanism. to render 90 said primary controller unadjustable.

5. In a switch controller system, the combination' with an adjustable primary controller and a plurality of secondary controllers each' adjustable by.' means of said primary controller when allotted thereto, of

ran allotter having a plurality of allotting anda plurality of intermediate positions, means for arresting'saidrallotter in an intermediate position'operable during periods of simultaneous use of, said secondary controller, and means for rendering said primary controller unadjus'table when said allotter is resting in said Vintermediate posi- 6., In a switch controller system, the com# bination with an adjustable primary controller, locking' means therefor, and a plul rality of secondary controllers each having a register mechanism adapted for Vadjustmentv by said primary controller, of means for successively allotting said register mechanisms to said primary controller, and means for rendering said locking means ineffective during periods of simultaneous use of said secondary controllers. i

7. Ina switch controller system, the combination with an adjustable primary coni troller, locking means therefor, lock-retracting means, and a plurality ofsecondary con- 120 trollers each of which operating under the,k control of said primary controller is adapted to register an adjusted condition `thereof and when adjusted to cause the actuation of said:

bysaidvsecondary controllers operative when any of them is in `idle condition to cause the restoration of said locking means;l

8. In a controller system, the combination with an electrical keyboard and point tindex' 1% mechanism thereby adjustable, vof locking to render said keyboard unadjustable during means for said keyboard leffective during periods of simultaneous use of said co11- periods of adjustment of said mechanism, rtrollers. I and means for renderlng sald lockmg means In Witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe 5 ineffective upon adjustment of'and during our'jnames lthis 10th day of December A..D.,

periods of use of said mechanism. 1914. A

i 9. In a controller system, the combination FRANK N. REEVES.

vWith a keyboard, a plurality of switch con- ALBEN E. LUNDELL. trollers each adjustable by means of said Witnesses: n

10 keyboard, of means forsuccessively allotting E. EDLER,

said controllers to said keyboard, and means K. L. STAHL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,V by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. CJ? 'y 

